Drowning In You
by lilah08
Summary: Isabella (Bella) Swan is a humble 28 year old who has thrown herself into her job to keep everyone else at bay. Edward Cullen is a 28 year old millionaire whose sudden unfortunate events have led him right into Bella's hands. Their lives cannot be anymore different, yet Edward is the only one who cannot be kept at bay, and soon both find themselves drowning. ALL HUMAN.
1. Chapter 1

Bella Swan was thankful when the intrusive ringtone from her phone jolted her out of her nightmare. She breathed deeply through her nose, and wiped the sweat off her brow. This was the third night in a row that she had this nightmare. Once she had grabbed a hold of the cell phone, she glanced at the familiar number. Knowing there was only one reason for the call, she untangled herself out of the sheets, hopped out of bed and went towards the closet as she answered the phone. "Hello?"

"Bella, did I wake you?" _What would I be doing at three in the morning? _She thought.

"Hey Lisa. Don't worry about it I slept early last night. You guys need me?" She asked, already knowing the answer. She grabbed her bottoms and wiggled into them. She heard Lisa letting out a breath.

"Yeah we do. No one else was answering their phone and Kathy needs to go home...her son is sick." Bella could have sworn she heard a hint of guilt in her voice. She knew she was the only one who her supervisor had bother to call. Bella was always the first person they called. That's what she got for living a walking distance away from the hospital.

"Alright I will be there in fifteen minutes." Bella hung up before Lisa could say anything else. She slid into her scrub top, ran a hand through the long tangled mess of hair she sported, grabbed her purse and stethoscope and ran out the door. The walk to Northwestern Memorial Hospital took her a total of fifteen minutes, just like she had promised. Bella usually enjoyed the walk through Chicago, but the nightmare had made it especially hard for her to appreciate the beautiful city, and before she knew it she was already stepping foot into the hospital.

The intensive care unit was quiet except for the beeping of machines taking turns going off – a sound that Bella still hated and couldn't get used to. Still groggy from her sleep, she quietly walked to the staff lounge, placed her bag in the locker, and made her way back out in the hallways in search for Kathy. Bella heard her name by the nurse's station and saw Kathy sitting at one of the computers finishing up her charting.

"Thanks so much dear!" Kathy leaned over the computer and grabbed her by the shoulders. As annoyed as Bella was for having to come to work so early, she couldn't help but smile. Kathy stood at 5'2 and had wisps of gray hair intertwined with a nest of brown. She reminded Bella of her own mother. For a second her smile faltered thinking about her mom, but she managed to push that to the back of her mind knowing she had to focus on her job. "John is sick and the only appointment I can get for him was at eight in the morning." She said as she sat back down in front of the computer. Kathy was a single mom of four, John being the youngest at fourteen, whose husband passed away six years ago from liver cancer. Since then it has been hard for her to work full time and handle all four of her kids, so Bella always tried to help out when she could – even if it meant coming to work at three in the morning. "Anyway," Kathy waved her hand as if none of the stress was getting to her, "let me give you report so I can get out of here."

Bella grabbed her papers and took a seat next to Kathy. "I'm ready whenever you are." Putting her hair in a messy bun she leaned in a little closer to Kathy.

"So you've got two patients so far. I had three, but we transferred one of them at the start of the shift." She continued to give her report on one of the patients, but it wasn't until she started with the next patient that a smile spread on her face.

Bella eyed her curiously. "What's the smile for? You made a boyfriend?"

Kathy blushed, and Bella opened her mouth in a mock gasp. "No, no, no not me, he is closer to your age, but once I tell you who he is you will have a stupid grin on your face." Bella doubted that. She didn't care about men and dating much, or not at all. For the past few years all she did was throw herself into her work, turning down any offer for a date she got from a man, good looking or not.

"Okay, shoot."

Kathy bit her lip letting the moment linger and then with excitement she quietly shouted, "In room 2114 you have Edward Cullen!" She waited for Bella to gasp, smile, or say how shocked she was, but no response came from her other than a furrowed brow. Kathy's eyes widened. "You do know who Edward Cullen is, right?"

"Should I?"

"Bella, he is a bachelor." Kathy grabbed Bella's shoulder acting like an excited teenager who just got asked out on a date.

"There are plenty of bachelors in the Chicago area, Kathy." Bella snorted.

Kathy shook her head in disbelief. "He is a rich, gorgeous, bachelor. He owns Develocor! You know, the multimillion, probably billion, dollar electronic company?" Recognition flitted across Bella's face and Kathy leaned back in her chair pleased. She did remember the staff mentioning his name excitedly over the past week, but never once did she bother to ask who exactly they were talking about. A rich, gorgeous, bachelor is what Kathy said. No wonder Bella had noticed the nurses putting on just a little too much makeup.

"So what did he do to get himself into the ICU?" Bella asked trying to be more relevant. She knew not to talk too much about her patient's personal life. The hospital got their fair share of rich and famous people, and she never understood why the staff would go crazy. She was there to do her job, nothing more and nothing less, which is why management loved her.

"Oh you're no fun." Kathy whined, but went back to her notes. "He was in a bad car accident – drunk driving. Four of his ribs were broken and he had a punctured lung. They had to place a chest tube. He seems to be doing better so they might transfer him to a different floor, or go home with a private nurse.

"Figures. Rich boy thinks he has the right to drink and drive putting everyone's life in danger." Bella did not like drunk drivers. She did not like alcohol. Period.

Kathy waved her finger back and forth. "Not quite. He was the victim of a drunk driver. The drunk driver died at the scene." A quiet 'oh' was all Bella was able to muster, feeling guilty for saying that about him. "It was all over the news, dear. Anyway, he doesn't wake up much, so just go in there do your thing and leave him alone."

Five minutes later and the report was over. After a quick hug from Kathy Bella was left on her own.

Bella felt a strange pull towards room 2114, but she stopped herself knowing she should check up on her other patient. Her first patient was in a coma, so after she did a quick assessment and looked at his medication list, she found herself in front of room 2114. She didn't understand why she was shaking, or why her heart was beating. Rich people did not affect her, and she didn't even know how this guy looked. "I probably need coffee," she mumbled to herself, knowing that was a complete lie.

With a small knock on the sliding glass door, she let herself in and allowed her eyes to wander to the center of the room where a man was silently snoring. Even under the bruises, cuts, and swelling, Bella could tell that Edward Cullen was gorgeous, just like Kathy had said. His odd colored bronze hair, that he probably usually gels up, hung right above his eye brows, and Bella had to fight the urge to go up there and smooth his hair back. He had stubble growing, and she found herself wondering if he liked it that way or if he was usually clean shaven. His arms were toned, not too muscular, and there was some sort of tattoo peeking under the sleeve of his right arm. Bella quickly realized what she was doing and felt pathetic. She was violating this man with her eyes while he was sleeping.

She cleared her throat, "Mr. Cullen," she waited a few seconds but still no answer. She said it again, this time a little louder, but he was still sleeping. "My name is Isabella. You can call me Bella. I'm going to be your nurse today till eleven AM. I just need to do a quick assessment and I will leave you alone." She grabbed her stethoscope from her pocket and took a few steps closer to him. She still couldn't understand why her heart was beating like that. She had come across many men of high power, so why couldn't her heart just settle down? She examined his face and noted that the bruising around his eyes and nose was yellowing. The scratches on his cheeks were starting to heal, and the swelling didn't look too bad. She placed the stethoscope in her ear and touched his chest. It was hard, and she knew if she lifted his gown up she would see toned muscles underneath. After listening for a few seconds she glanced at the monitor and nodded. "Normal sinus rhythm with audible s1 and s2," she whispered. She took a deep breath and allowed herself to lift his gown up. She was only doing this to examine the chest tube and to take a look at his abdomen. The chest tube was in place and secure, but when she glanced toward his abdomen she felt a knot form in her throat. She did not even know this man, but seeing the amount of bruises and cuts he had on his pale body made her feel for him. She quickly listened to his bowel sounds and then continued to palpate his abdomen for any abnormalities. As she was finishing her assessment on his abdomen her eyes wandered up his body and to his face, and when she saw that his eyes were wide open she froze.


	2. Chapter 2

Golden eyes were staring directly at her, piercing her really, as if they can see right through her. Bella held her breath not knowing what to do. She felt helpless, being held there against her own will just by the power of his stare. "If I knew I would wake up to women touching me, I would have come to the hospital a long time ago." Amusement danced in his eyes, but there was no smile. Bella didn't know whether he was angry or just joking, and suddenly she felt awkward and uncomfortable. She backed up with her hands held out in front of her as if he were pointing a gun at her.

"I'm sorry, you were asleep and I didn't want to wake you. I just thought that I could do my assessment quickly without having to wake you up," Bella stuttered. She was annoyed with herself. She was always confident, and she never allowed anyone to ever make her feel the way Edward Cullen was making her feel right now – nervous, small, and insecure. She fiddled with the blue stethoscope in her hands as she waited for him to answer.

"That's alright. It is your job after all." He flashed her a smile and she felt her cheeks get hot, cursing her gene pool for giving her fair skin that blushed so easily. Edward looked even more amused at the sight of her reddened cheeks and flashed her one more breathtaking smile. _Oh, so you know what you are doing. Cocky, figures, _she thought.

She cleared her throat making sure she wouldn't stutter when she spoke again. She had to do what she was good at – her job, so she let the smile disappear from her face, and felt the blush slowly make its way out of her cheeks. "Everything looks good and I heard they might be transferring you to the medical floor soon. I also read in your notes that the chest tube might be coming out in a few days" Edward gave her one nod, and when she thought their conversation was over she started heading towards the door.

"What's your name?"

She didn't bother turning around. She didn't trust her eyes, knowing they would greedily scan his entire body if she turned around. "Isabella, but everyone calls me Bella."

"How come I have been here for a week and this is the first time I have had you as a nurse?" Curiosity rang in his voice.

Bella turned back around to face him and started taking a few steps backwards. "Maybe it wasn't meant to be." With a final shrug and tight smile she took her last step out of the room. She took a quick right into an empty hallway and leaned against the wall. Breathing heavily she tried to sift through the thoughts in her mind. She felt off today and she knew it wasn't just the gorgeous man that was in the room behind her. Her lack of sleep and the nightmare she has been having these past few nights were getting to her. Pushing off of the wall she started heading back to the nurse's station. She wasn't going to let her lack of sleep or the arrogant rich man get to her.

The rest of the morning passed by without any excitement, other than the fact that she felt like she couldn't breathe every time she noticed Edward staring at her. When eleven came Bella was ready to give her report and go home to bed. She let out a long sigh thinking about having to come back in twelve hours, a part of her hoping that he would still be here while the other part was praying she would never see him again. She had felt butterflies in her stomach when she was in the presence of a good looking man before, but no one made her feel like she was suffocating the way Edward did when he would look at her each time she entered his room. She wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing.

With Kristina, the day shift nurse, in tow, Bella walked into room 2114 to do her bedside handoff. "Mr. Cullen, this is Kristina she's going to be your nurse today up until eleven PM." Edward eyed Kristina wearily as she tried not to blush. _At least I'm not the only one who acts like a schoolgirl when he looks at them, _Bella thought. "I hope you get better."

She wanted to walk away but her feet didn't seem to be listening to her brain, and suddenly she felt his warm hand grab her wrist. It was gentle with just the slightest pressure against her skin, but it was enough to send a shiver down her spine. She had made sure not to make any physical contact with him the rest of the morning, and the little kiss of his skin against hers made her feel like she was on fire. With her heart beating rapidly again, she looked over her shoulder, but that was the only movement she made. "Will you be back tonight?" He didn't sound hopeful or excited. It was just something he wanted to know. "You know, just so I can make sure I don't get molested again in my sleep tonight."

Bella ripped her wrist out of his grasp, her blush spreading not only to her cheeks but to her ears and neck also. "Yes I will be back today, but your doctor put an order for you to be transferred today. Good luck Mr. Cullen." She walked out without looking back at him. She was mad at herself for even thinking that this man was good looking. She was mad that she allowed herself to blush and act like a teenager in his presence. She didn't care who he was, he didn't deserve even a smile from her.

"What was that all about?" Bella had forgotten that Kristina was in the room and had witnessed the entire thing.

Bella let out a short, cold laugh and turned around to face her coworker. "You know how people like him are. Just because they are good looking and rich they think they are God's gift to the world. They think they can say and do whatever they want and people will just keep their mouths shut because they have power."

"I think he was just joking when he said that."

"I don't care." Bella snapped, she began to feel a headache coming along. "That is inappropriate. I was just doing my job." She closed her eyes for a second and slowly opened them again. "I'm going home to bed. I'll be back tonight, and he better be gone."

At nine Bella woke up with a smile because for the first time in three days she did not wake up to images from a horrific nightmare still flashing in her mind. She looked at her phone and noted that she had two hours before she had to be at work. While in the shower she blocked all thoughts of Edward. She pinched herself when she thought about his eyes while she was making her lunch, and she scolded herself for hoping that he wasn't transferred. She wouldn't let herself feel anything because she knew that Edward Cullen was transferred today and that she would most likely never see him again.

"What do you mean he didn't get transferred today Kristina?!" Bella stared down at the sheet of paper in disbelief. "The doctor had put an order for him to be transferred today to the medical surgical floor. Were there no beds available?"

Kristina twirled her long blond hair in her hand and gave Bella a one shouldered shrug. "No, he requested to see the doctor and apparently told him he didn't want to be transferred today."

"Well, it's not up to him. We need to have beds available for people who need to be here."

"There are plenty of beds available. He told Dr. Shah that he felt like he needed at least one more day in the ICU, and I guess Dr. Shah agreed with him."

Bella rolled her eyes. Who wouldn't agree with someone like Edward? "Of course he agreed with him."

"Don't worry he won't bother you. He hasn't said one word to me other than the occasional 'yes' or 'no'. Kristina's eyes were on the floor. Clearly she was upset that Edward didn't care for her. She wasn't used to guys not being interested in her. She was tall with long blond hair, a small waist, and a beautiful face. Bella always thought about how she would look more fitting on a runway rather than in a hospital room. "Anyway, you want to go in there for the hand off?"

"No. I know who he is and how he is doing. I'll go in there in a bit."

Bella had tried her best to stall. She had gone into her two other patients' rooms and had done a thorough assessment on them both. Even after looking at their charts and giving them both their medications, she still felt like she wasn't ready to go in there, but it was her job, and she didn't dare ignore a patient for more than an hour.

The lights were all turned off, the TV being the only thing offering her light. She glanced in his direction and noticed he wasn't sleeping. He was wide awake with one of his hands behind his head, and he was watching her. He offered her half a smile and pushed himself up in bed. The wince he made did not go unnoticed. "Bella." He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something else but then closed it again. Bella's mind told her that she wasn't going to feel anything, but her heart had other plans and quickly melted when he said her name.

"Hi Mr. Cullen." She peeped, hating herself for sounding like a little girl again.

He gave her a grimace in return. "For the love of God call me Edward. I hate being called Mr. Cullen. It reminds me of my father and I am not ready to feel like a sixty year old man."

Bella giggled. "I'm sorry. Edward. How's that?" She could have sworn she saw something spark in his eyes, but she knew it was just wishful thinking combined with her imagination. Plus, she didn't dare stare straight into his eyes again. She didn't particularly enjoy the feeling she got when she stared into those liquid honey eyes the night before, and actually, it terrified her. The helpless feeling she got was a warning sign telling her to back off, and if there was one thing Bella was good at it was listening to her gut.

"Good." He nodded in approval.

She placed her hands on her hips suddenly remembering that he shouldn't be there. "You think you know more than the doctor, huh? Decided it was best to stay another night?"

A small smile played on his lips. "I just suggested it and he agreed. It was just meant to be." He was throwing back what Bella had said when he had asked her why the night before was the first time he had seen her. Bella didn't know how to respond to it, so she decided ignoring it was the best option.

"You need some pain medication? I noticed you wince when you were trying to sit up." _Focus on your job Bella, good, that's what you're here for. _

"No I'm just sore that's why."

Bella nodded. Suddenly her heart began to beat faster and her palms became moist. She had to do what she was dreading all day - assess him again. "I need to just listen to your lungs again. Especially since the tube is coming out in the morning."

Edward gave her a slow nod. She took a few steps closer to him and gingerly lifted the gown up to his chest, making sure the blanket covered his bottom half. She placed the stethoscope on a few areas, but she had a hard time hearing anything because Edward was staring right at her profile. Although he was in the hospital, his smell was intoxicating, and the feel of his chest began to make her feel dizzy.

"Am I alive?" He whispered.

"Give me a minute." She closed her eyes trying to focus and finally after what felt like forever she heard his lung sounds. She straightened back up after she drew his gown down and placed the stethoscope around his neck. "Everything sounds good, Edward." He didn't say anything, but continued to stare at her as if he was the one doing the assessment on her. "Okay, well if you don't need me then I'll let you sleep. I do not have any other medications for you till tomorrow morning." She grabbed her computer on wheels but waited a few more moments.

"Well…" He sounded uneasy. Bella waited, expecting him to take her up on the offer for the pain medication. "Is it okay for you to stay in here for a while? If you have other patients that's fine I understand, but I am just so sick of talking about my pain with you guys, and my business with my employees." He looked shy. The cocky gorgeous jerk that Bella thought he was had disappeared and in his place was a man who looked shy and awkward.

"Don't you have any friends?" She bit her lip, internally chastising herself for the way she said it. "I just mean, haven't you talked to any of your friends?"

He waved his hand once and let it drop to his thigh. "I know what you meant. Yes I have friends. However, most of my friends are just as busy as I am….well when I'm not stuck in a hospital bed. Right now I have all the time in the world."

"Well, sure I guess I can stay for a while." Bella lowered herself in a chair next to him and adjusted her computer. If she was going to stay in his room she had to get some charting done.

The next eleven hours went by quickly, and were filled with Bella mostly talking about herself, checking up on the other patients, and trying to make quick glances at Edward when she thought he wasn't watching. He had this confidence about him that's for sure, but she noticed that he also seemed reserved, much like herself.

Bella had friends – a ton of them, but work and keeping herself busy always came first. She would see her close friends frequently, and would even go out to bars every now and then, but she kept her true self hidden by picking up extra shifts at work and going home early so she can get enough sleep before work. Although Edward Cullen and herself seemed to live in different worlds separated by the vast difference in their bank account, he seemed much like her in that sense. As the night wore on, Bella continued to watch him, as he fell asleep, from the safety of her chair. She did not like him nor did she have a thing for him, and she would never allow herself to, and not only because he was so intangible, but she wasn't one to let beauty go unappreciated.


	3. Chapter 3

Bella bit her lip until it bled. "Ouch." Three days. She had been off for three days and all she thought about was Edward. She had spent the past two days catching up with some friends, but she still couldn't get him off of her mind, but she didn't dare tell any of her friends knowing that they would all make a big deal about it. When her shift had ended she had snuck into his room only to find him curled up on his side fast asleep. She felt a pang in her heart, but she knew she couldn't wake him up. He had stayed up all night watching her and listening to her talk, so she had left without a goodbye. All weekend long she hoped and prayed that he was still there, even though deep down she knew he wouldn't be. He was stable and his recovery was excellent. There was no need for him to stay in the ICU.

As she stepped into the elevator and punched the button labeled 'five' she knew he was gone. It had been three days. He was either on another unit or he was sent home. She closed her eyes as the elevator began to ascend, but had to open them just as fast as she closed them. The lifeless eyes from her nightmare began floating through her mind. Three days without Edward. Three nights full of nightmares. She began to wonder if it was time to talk to someone. Tell someone about what had really happened. Maybe that would finally end the nightmares, but she knew the minute she began to talk she would have to admit something horrible - something that she had been trying to ignore for years, and if she finally accepted the truth then she was afraid she would never spring back from the agony and pain the truth would bring.

The ping from the elevator started Bella, drawing her back to reality. She mindlessly stepped into the ICU which was filled with chatter between the day and night shift nurses. Bella ran to the nurse's station before going to the locker room, and looked at the unit census. She felt her heart drop. He was gone. Room 2114 now occupied an Alberta Frank. She continued to look at the other unit census and couldn't find his name. He had been discharged from the hospital. _Well good, I can finally breathe now that I know I never have to see him again. _She was getting good at lying to herself.

Twelve hours later Bella had accepted that she was never going to see Edward Cullen again. As she stepped out of the locker room she realized she was okay with that. _It was for the best, _she thought to herself. She didn't like the way he made her feel. It was new and uncomfortable, and although he didn't know he was doing it, he was crossing the barrier that Bella had set up around her life and her heart, the barrier that kept everyone at bay except for a few important people in her life, and even those few people didn't know the real her, and if they did she wouldn't be as important to them as they were to her.

Bella took a few more steps forward when she bumped into a young redhead in a blue jacket labeled 'volunteer.' "Oops I'm sorry I wasn't watching where I was going."

The young girl glanced at Bella's ID and back at her face. "Isabella? Are you Bella? The nurse up in the ICU?"

Bella eyed the small envelope she was holding in her hand. "Yes. Is that card for me?"

The girl nodded. "This man came to the volunteer office and asked me if I could bring it up to you before change of shift. I'm glad I got to you before you left."

Bella's heart skipped a beat and before she could ask how the man looked like she found herself opening up the envelope. The girl stood there looking curious. The card was white with some textured swirls on it. The inside was blank except for two sentences. Those two sentences caused her breath to hitch.

Bella, meet me at the Starbucks across the street. I'll be waiting. –E.C.

She didn't have to guess who E.C. was. With a thank you directed to the young volunteer she headed off the unit and towards the elevator. She didn't think as she walked to the Starbucks because she knew once she did she would head straight home. She was tired and she looked it with her pale skin and strands of hair falling out of her bun into her face. The last thing she wanted to do was see him, but her entire being was screaming for him. Bella felt terrified knowing that she had no willpower when it came to this man, yet that feeling went away as soon as she found herself standing in front of the busy Starbucks.

She pulled open the door to the shop and was welcomed by the cool air conditioned air. Her eyes wandered around the room until they reached him, sitting with his back to the window, and although he was wearing sunglasses she knew he was staring at her. She made her way through the sea of tables until she was standing in front of him. He didn't bother to take his glasses off, his arms were still crossed over his chest, and he hadn't said one word to her. "Umm hi." She shifted her weight to her other foot. As if she had said the magic word, he lazily took his glasses off and placed them on the table, and then he continued to stand. Bella knew he wouldn't look the same as he did in the hospital, but she wasn't prepared for what she saw. He was wearing blue shorts, a white V-neck shirt, and boat shoes. His bruises were almost completely gone leaving small traces of yellow under his eyes, and the swelling was gone. She didn't think it was possible for him to look any more beautiful than he did in the hospital, but there he was, the most glorious man she had ever seen. She eyed his abdominal area.

As if he can read her mind he spoke up. "My ribs still hurt a lot, and I should have stayed home, but I didn't think a coffee would hurt." Bella nodded and took a seat with Edward following suit. She stared at him, his face, his hair, his chest, anywhere but his eyes. She didn't know what to say and she couldn't understand why he left her feeling like that. "You're probably wondering why I had you come here." Once again all she could do was nod. She felt uncomfortable. She tried to ignore it on her way over here, but now, seeing her reflection in the window behind him and seeing him in front of her without the bruises and hospital gown, she didn't understand why she thought seeing him would be a good thing. He was too damn good looking and she was average at best.

"Actually, I didn't really think at all when I came here, Edward." She lowered her gaze down to her hands.

He didn't speak for a minute, considering what she said. "Well, that's better than not coming at all." He offered her a smile that quickly faded. "You didn't say goodbye when your shift ended. Isn't it a part of your job to let me know you are leaving and that my next nurse will take over?"

Bella's eye shot back up towards him. He asked her to come here so he can chastise her for not saying goodbye? "Yes, that it what we usually do, but since you were sleeping I didn't feel it necessary to wake you up just to say goodbye."

"Well, you should have." He crossed his arms again, his bronze hair making him look years younger.

He was her patient. She knew nothing more about him other than his medical record, and he wanted to know why she didn't say bye? "If every single one of my patient's went out of their way to talk to me outside of the hospital I would be a very busy woman, Edward."

He shrugged. He acted like this wasn't weird at all. "Okay then, I wanted to have coffee with you. I like talking to you and I know you like talking to me."

Bella was now irritated. She was tired and didn't want to deal with this. "You were my patient. That is all. You wanted someone to talk to, and as part of my job, I offered myself."

His brow furrowed as he looked down at his coffee, but as quickly as that expression came, it went. "How many times were you willing to sit in a patient's room all night to talk to them?"

"That's beside the point. Also, I do not hang out with patients during my personal time." She sat a little straighter, and held her head high, knowing he couldn't argue with that.

What she wasn't expecting him to do next was laugh. He laughed loud, so loud that he turned the heads of the people sitting nearby. Then he leaned over the table, his face inches from her own and whispered, "Bella, it's a good thing I'm not your patient anymore."

She tore her eyes away from his lips and looked down at the table. "Fine. We can be friends." She offered him a quick smile. "I'm exhausted though, and I do not want our first date…as friends…to end with me falling asleep on you."

"I don't think that would be too horrible." A mischievous smile played on his lips.

"Ha-ha. Really, though, I need to go. I look worse than death itself, and I am pretty sure I smell like a nasty GI bleed."

Edward broke out into another one of his booming laughs and Bella couldn't help but giggle along. His laughter was contagious, but the laughter ended short with him clutching his side. A low groan came from the bottom of his throat and Bella felt the hairs on her arms stand up. "I didn't realize laughter hurts this much, but really Bella, you look beautiful." She knew he was lying of course, but her body didn't care, allowing a rosy blush to appear on her cheeks. "Alright I'll take you home."

Bella sprang up from her chair. "No that's fine I live a walking distance away. I'll see you later." She was about to walk away, but his voice stopped her.

"Bella." She felt her heart flutter. Did he know what her heart did every time he said her name? "It's hot out and you are tired. Let me just take you home. For my peace of mind." She had a strange feeling not to argue, he wouldn't accept no for an answer, so she shrugged her shoulders allowing him to lead the way.

She didn't know what to expect when they neared his car but she wasn't expecting this. In front of her was an old black Honda Civic with rust forming around the edges of the door. Wasn't this man a billionaire? Why was he driving an old car like this when he can have any car he wanted? Once again, as if he can read her mind, he began to speak as he slid into the driver's seat. "This was the first car I ever bought on my own. I was sixteen and I didn't want to work for my dad. Everyone called me rich boy as it is, so the last thing I wanted were handouts. I worked over 30 hours every week at a butcher shop and saved every penny for a year."

"Why do you still drive it?"

Edward shrugged. "I love this car. I was so proud of it when I bought it. It was me telling my dad that I can do things without his money. I guess that just made my dad more confident in me which is why he retired early and gave me the company. Plus, this car keeps me humbled."

Bella stared at his profile in amazement. There was more to this guy than she thought, and suddenly she felt guilty for ever thinking he was just some rich prick."How is your dad?"

Edward hesitated as if he didn't want to talk about it, but then gave her a short answer. "He is rough around the edges. He thinks he always knows what's right and still tries to control my life from time to time." It seemed like he didn't get along with his father well, but he didn't say anything else, and Bella knew not to ask. If he wanted to offer more information he would.

She felt a pang in her stomach when she saw her apartment, knowing that her few minutes alone with Edward had come to an end. Opening the door she let one foot out. "Thanks for the ride. I guess I'll see you later."

She was about to stand up when she felt his hand grab her wrist reminding her of the moment at the hospital. Her skin began to feel hot again. "Now that we are friends don't I get to have your number?"

She was about to give it when she suddenly changed her mind. "That would be too easy for you, Edward." She got up and walked away without looking back. He was going to get a hold of her somehow, so why not have a little fun?

She made her way into the small apartment and went straight to the bathroom. Bella gazed into the mirror as she brushed her teeth. She looked the same - plain and boring. Her long brown hair was frizzy and falling out of the bun. You wouldn't believe it was June by looking at the color of her skin. She made a mental note to herself to make plans with Alice and Emmett to go to the beach this week. It wasn't until she met her own eyes that she almost dropped the brush. They were the same brown eyes that she hated, but they were alive with excitement, something Bella never allowed into her life, and she always felt like she never deserved it. The only excitement Bella had in her life were her two best friends – Alice and Emmett, and that was enough for her.


	4. Chapter 4

Bella was just rinsing her hair out in the shower when the doorbell began to ring. Wrapping a towel around her shivering body she climbed out of the tub and made her way to the door as she left behind small of water. "One sec Alice I'm coming!" When she opened the door, however, it wasn't her best friend waiting for her as she was expecting, but Edward Cullen. Bella gasped. She hadn't seen nor heard from him in a week and she was beginning to think he didn't want to be her friend after all. That week had made her forget just how good looking he was, and seeing him standing at her doorway made her breath hitch a little. His bruises were completely gone and the scars on his face were almost completely faded.

"Is Alice a new nickname for me?" He looked over his glasses.

Bella responded with a quiet squeal and drew the ends of the towel as close to her as she could. She noticed that he wasn't looking at her body as if he wanted to devour her. He wasn't even eying her up and down. He was simply looking at her face. _Maybe he really wants to be friends. Maybe he's gay. _"Edward, what are you doing here?"

He twirled his keys around his index finger as he leaned against the door frame. "You didn't give me your number. How else am I supposed to get a hold of you?"

She had forgotten that she had refused to give her number out to him. "I guess you're right, but what made you decide to just show up a week later?" She tried to not make her voice sound as if she was upset that he didn't show up earlier.

"I was in Paris all week for work. I just arrived an hour ago, actually."

"Oh." He had come as soon as he got off of the plane. Was he really thinking about her that much?

Edward straightened up and smiled. "Get dressed I'll take you out to lunch."

Bella bit her lip wanting so badly to do what he told her, but she had promised her friend they would have a girl's day out. "As much as you love being called Alice, the name wasn't meant for you." She giggled as he placed his hand on his heart giving her the saddest look he can muster. "My friend is on her way right now and we were going to go out. If you want, we can hang out later tonight."

"I have a few meetings tonight, but I think I can manage rescheduling them. Tonight it is." He began to walk towards the elevators.

Bella took a step into the hallway. "Wait, what time tonight?"

Edward looked over his shoulder as the elevator doors began to open and gave her a sly smile. "Oh Bella, that would be too easy." She glared at him knowing that somehow that statement she had used a week ago would backfire.

As Edward stepped into the elevators, Alice and her giant of a brother Emmett stepped out. Alice's eyes widened as she glanced at Edward and then at Bella who was dripping wet with just a towel covering her mid-section, whereas Emmett's eyes narrowed as they followed Edward until the doors closed.

"Okay what is going on?" Emmett spoke up first, not amused.

Bella couldn't stop herself from rolling her eyes. Emmett was her best friend, but to her both him and Alice were her siblings. Since Bella had no older brothers, Emmett took that position, although he was just a few months older than her. "Calm down nothing happened. I was in the shower and I opened the door thinking it was you guys. I met him at work." That wasn't a lie. She closed her front door behind them and they all walked into the living room with no one bothering to sit down.

Alice skipped a few steps closer with a suspicious look on her face. "Is he a doctor?"

"No."

"Nurse?"

"No."

"Pharmacist?"

"No."

"So then what the hell is he?" Emmett's hands shot up in the air clearly annoyed that Bella wasn't giving much information.

Bella hesitated and she felt her cheeks get hot. It was then that she saw the light bulb turn on over Alice's head. Her mouth formed a small 'o' and her eyes began to sparkle. "Patient! Oh how romantic Bella! You are taking care of a hunk and then you both realize you are in love!"

"Love?" Emmett growled.

"No! That's not how it is. We hung out once after I got out of work, and I didn't see him until today."

Emmett's eyes narrowed. "He looks familiar. Very familiar. Like, maybe I worked with him before."

Bella wasn't surprised. Emmett was one of the best contractors in the city, and she was sure Edward owned hundreds of buildings. "You might have."

By the time they had reached the hair salon Alice was giving Bella tips on how to do her makeup and Emmett was brooding, sitting on the couch on the far side of the salon with a magazine in his hands. "Why did he come if he is just going to sit there?" Bella pointed towards Emmett with her chin.

Alice gazed towards her brother and then focused her attention back to the lady who was working on her foot. "He found out I was hanging out with you and wanted to come with. He hasn't seen you in a while."

Bella continued to stare at Emmett. He was a beautiful man. He was very different from Edward, but he was just as beautiful with a mop of curly black hair, broad shoulders, and an obnoxiously loud voice. He was a teddy bear. Her smile then faltered as she focused on the frown that was plastered on his face. "Well, it seems like he doesn't want to be around me right now. Why is he making such a big deal about the whole Edward thing? It's not like we are serious."

"Oh, you know how he is. Remember when Jasper and I first started dating. He would give him hell. Remember when he first caught us making out? I swear he was coming up with a plan on how to murder him, and now look at them, they are best friends."

Bella sighed. "Yet when he and Rose started dating he would get mad the minute we would ask if he thought they were right together." Bella knew that Emmett couldn't find anyone more perfect for him than Rosalie. At first she came off as a very cold and serious person, and for months Bella and Alice thought she hated them. It wasn't until a few months into their relationship when Alice confronted Rose and found out that she was actually intimidated by the two of them. Now, they couldn't imagine her not being in their life.

"Anyway," Alice ran a beautifully manicured hand through her short black hair, "what does Edward do for a living?" As Bella tried to figure out what exactly she should say she heard Emmett swear loudly, leap out of his seat, and come barreling towards them with the magazine in his hand.

"I knew he looked familiar. This is your boyfriend!" He ripped open the magazine and began pointing at a picture of Edward Cullen standing in front of a building with a title that read 'Owner of Develocor Edward Cullen: Billionaire Bachelor.'

She looked at Alice from the corner of her eye and saw that her mouth was hanging wide open, and trying to read the article as best as she can while her brother shook it in his hands. "He isn't my boyfriend. We talked for maybe thirty minutes and that is it. I don't get why what he does for a living is such a big deal."

"Bells, I heard a lot about this guy. He is a playboy. He goes from one girl to the next, wooing her and making her believe she is his one and only, and then he gets bored and breaks their hearts. It even says so in this article! Dating a billionaire is not a good idea!" Emmett didn't seem to care that he was speaking a little too loudly.

"That is a magazine. They will say anything to get readers." Although Bella sounded confident, she knew in her heart of hearts there had to be some truth. The way Edward looked at her and said her name made her feel like she was the only one, and they barely knew each other.

The excitement from Alice's eyes wore off and was now replaced with concern. "Bella, just be careful, okay?"

"I'll be fine." She gave them a confident smile hoping that she would put their minds at ease.

She had decided to get back home earlier than she planned to. She was excited to go out to dinner with Edward, but her friends' reaction to who he was unsettled her nerves. She took a long shower, and took her time to do her hair and makeup – something she rarely ever took into consideration (who in the ICU cared about whether their nurse's makeup was done?). She didn't know where exactly they were going, so she slid into a blue romper and gold sandals. She smiled at her reflection in the mirror feeling a little presentable, but she knew that compared to Edward she was just an ugly duckling.

At six the doorbell rang, and Bella's nerves were now worse than ever. Her heart fluttered as she opened the door and saw Edward leaning against the door frame just like how he did earlier that day. He was wearing a green buttoned down shirt and the sleeves were rolled to his elbows, white shorts, and white flip flops. He looked like he can be on the cover of any magazine and Bella wondered if he had a stylist. He could afford a hundred of them if he really wanted to.

"You decided against the towel?" Edward smiled showing his perfectly straight white teeth.

"Funny." Bella nudged him with her shoulder as she closed the door behind her.

The car ride was quiet but not awkward, and when Bella saw the little shack she began to laugh. "This is my all-time favorite hot dog place!"

"Me too." Edward smiled at her and once again Bella found herself intrigued by this man. He could have taken her anywhere, somewhere fancy if he wanted to impress her, but instead he brought her here. It was simple, but she loved that, and it felt like they had known each other for years. "You grab a table outside and I'll get the food."

She found a table at the very end of the store and she looked into the building as he made his way to the cashier, ordered the food, and came back outside.

"Double dog with everything on it is what I got. Is that okay with you?"

Bella stared at him in amazement. "That's what I always get."

"Me too." Edward said again.

They ate in silence for a few minutes until Bella got the nerve to speak up. "You are really intriguing, Edward."

"You make it sound like I'm a science experiment." His voice sounded like he was serious, but a smile played on his lips.

"I just mean you are surprising. You don't talk about money. You don't brag about how much you have. You do things I don't expect. I-"She gave herself a moment to look away and then turned back to look at his chest. She still couldn't bring herself to look him in the eyes. "I love that."

Edward took a deep breath and exhaled. "Money isn't everything. I love my company, which is why I work there. I don't do it for the money. What's the point of having money if you don't have happiness?"

Bella let his question linger but she didn't answer. They both knew the answer. They finished the rest of their meal in a comfortable silence,both enjoying the warm breeze, and it wasn't until Bella took the last bite when Edward spoke up again. "Let's walk on the beach."

Bella nodded knowing that even if she had to do something she would still go with him. She was compelled by him.

It was getting dark, so the beach was pretty quiet except for the occasional teenagers that would run by laughing and screaming. Every once in a while some girls would walk past and stare at Edward. They would then look Bella over and glare at her. She wasn't surprised. She was hanging out with one of the best looking guys in Chicago, and she was sure more than a few people recognized him, but Edward paid no attention to any of that. He was entirely focused on Bella, and the thought of his attention being solely fixed on her made her blush. They walked in the sand with their sandals in their hands. They were close enough to where their arms brushed each other, but that was the only physical contact that was made.

"How many serious relationships have you been in?" He was the first to break the silence.

"To be honest, one. It was my freshman through junior year of college. He cheated on me and I ended it. After that I focused on graduating and getting a job, and since then I only bothered to make time for friends, family, and work." She focused her attention on the black lake. She wasn't upset about what happened years ago, but she felt uncomfortable talking about her love life, or lack of, to someone who apparently was a 'playboy.' "What about you?" She looked back at him.

He was staring directly at her. Unlike herself, he wasn't shy about his previous relationships. "I'd say about three serious relationships. One being in high school." He smiled. "I'm not going to lie to you, though. I have had a lot of short term relationships, and I'm sure you have heard or read about them. I've done things I'm not proud of and I have hurt a lot of people, but that was a few years ago. You are the first woman in three years who has been alone with me like this."

She blushed, silently swearing at her body for betraying her. "This is just two people hanging out, Edward."

Although she didn't look him in the eyes, she knew they were blazing, she felt the intensity of his stare on her own face. "It is much more than that. It was when I first laid eyes on you." They began walking again.

Bella struggled with what to say. Those two sentences blew her away, and although they weren't particularly romantic, it was the most beautiful thing any man had ever said to her, but she had her own problems, wounds and scars that were forever etched into her heart. "You know, I have a hard time trusting people."

Edward once again stopped walking, turned to look towards the lake, and preceded to cross his arms. "You can trust me." His voice rang with so much sincerity that she began to feel tears well up in her eyes. How can a man that barely knows her say something like that? How can she trust a man who has a reputation of using and abusing women for his own pleasure? Although the thought frightened her, and shook her to her core, she knew there was no denying her feelings, no matter how long she had known him for.

"That's the thing, Edward. We just started getting to know each other and I already do trust you, and that terrifies me." Bella didn't know why she said she trusted him, and she was sure the horrified look on her face said so. She was going to scare this man away before they really got to know each other. Sure, he said she can trust him, but maybe he meant in the future.

Edward turned back to her, with the moonlight shining behind him he looked other worldly. His bronze hair looked darker and his skin, although was sun kissed, looked paler. Bella had to fight the urge to run up to him and wrap her arms around him. "I trust you too." He gave her a heart breaking smile, a smile that opened her up to his world, and Bella had the strangest feeling that not many people have been there.


End file.
